It takes two years if you are divorcing because of separation, but only 6 months if one person is divorcing the other because the marriage has broken down. To get a divorce after six months, one partner needs to cite grounds for the divorce, e.g. the other partners adultery, unreasonable behaviour, etc, to show the marriage has broken down. If both partners agree and one doesn't mind being divorced by the other, this is the quickest way to get divorced amicably because you can come up with some fairly mild examples of 'unreasonable behaviour' e.g. spending too long in the pub - but if you are not in a hurry and can wait two years then neither partner needs to take the 'blame' for the marriage breakdown.